Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat has criticised the government for the fact that families who were known to qualify for relief in the payment of utility bills had received the bills but not the relief vouchers they were entitled to. This, he said, was causing unnecessary hardship for such families.

Answering Dr Muscat's supplementary question, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech advised him to put his question to Social Policy Minister John Dalli. Dr Muscat said this was a government issue, not any particular ministry's. What mattered was that these families needed their vouchers immediately.